Hudson Towing Capacity?

It was fairly common practice for stock car drivers/owners to tow their step-down Hudsons using a Hudson pickup (usually 1946-1947 models) to the tracks and not just local - all over the country. Many of these tow trucks had 308's under the hood. The theory was if the 308 in the race car went south they could always yank the engine out of the truck and use it in the car. Whole different picture back-in-the-day.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN

IF YOU DO A SEARCH ON : PULLING AN AIRSTREAM TRAILER WITH A HUDSON YOU WILL FIND LOTS OF DISCUSSION

It was a factory-made item at the time, advertised in most of the mobile home or trailering magazines. I don't recall the small details --- remember this was fifty years ago!

Well, I'll give my opinion based on a lot of miles in Hudsons and a lot of trailering miles, but not together.

I would not pull a trailer with the overdrive engaged. #1, it would tend to lug the engine, and #2 would severely limit the engine braking effect. Splashers in particular don't like to be lugged.

With Hudson running gear of your vintage, you have basically a 4:56 and a 4:11 choice in the rear end. The 3 speed with either one would handle a camping trailer in reasonable terrain, at reasonable speeds with either the 212 or the 254 engine.

The engines would be 'happy' at 40 - 50 with the 4:56 and at 45 - 55 with the 4:11. This would keep you off the interstates of course but would be cool for relatively local camping. Remember, in the old days this was the average speed on any road.

Lets face it, if you want to run the interstates with a camper, you need modern engines with rugged frames and running gear. Minivans and SUVs and most pickups are rated for 3500lbs. and up. A 262 or 308 would give you enough power but I'd use the GM Hydromatic and the Dana/Spicer rear end to get rid of the tapered bearings we can't find anymore and for readilly available tranny parts and rear end gears. Your mileage is gonna be in the range of 8-9. You can get around 12 with a modern minivan/SUV or pickup.

Even with modern equipment you gotta be careful. One of our Hudson friends rolled his Ford 350 diesel truck towing an Airstream a couple of years ago when he got into cross winds.

A good Draw-Tite type hitch that reaches 2-3 feet under the frame with 3 bolts or so on each side would tie it to a good frame, and the use of a head with adjustable load leveling bars would transfer some of the tongue weight from the rear axle. It would also give you an adjustable sway bar. The old style hitches that bolted directly to the axle tried to do some of that but had other issues..like poking holes in your gas tank. (seen that)

You need to consider braking and lights. Trailers are 12V so you need a conversion of some sort. You NEED those trailer brakes.

I would go with tandem axles on the trailer to minimize sway, and to have 3 trailer tires on the road in case of a flat.

Get good big mirrors so when those trucks sneak up on ya doin 75 you're ready for the push and sway you're gonna get.

Can an old Hudson do it? Yup. Harold Gilbert, author of 'Looking Back' had most of his old cars hauled home with his friend Walt's 49 Hudson pulling a car trailer. But that was the old days. By the way, Walt owned a 29 Dual Cowl, in midwestern NYS. Where is it?

I agree with Uncle J on the use of the old (used to be) 2-lane highways, U S 40, U S 50, etc. Most of these old roads have been upgraded to 4-lane, curves have been straightend and hills either by-passed or fitted with truck lanes on the right. So what if you're just cruising along at 45 or 50 - sit back and enjoy the scenery.
Some advantages of the old U S highways: no, or very damn few, 18 wheelers to start with. Been down to the San Antone area from Memphis a few times in recent years and have taken U S 79 most of the way, into Austin. Good road, light traffic. I've also driven U S 70 between Memphis and Little Rock many times - again light traffic (everybody's beating their brains out over on I-40) and a good 2-lane road. And you get to see some nice scenery and attractions you miss on the Interstate.
I'm talking here mostly west of the Mississippi. New England is a lousy area to run 2-lanes - towns tend to run into each other so you're going to see traffic lights every 20 feet - or so it seems. U S 20 is (or used to be) a good east-west run between Albany and Buffalo - have driven that a few times.
Of course at my age of 75 the old 2-lanes were all there were to drive when I was growing up in the 40's and 50's - and even into the 60's when I drove over most of the country going to different Navy bases. And I'll state a fact here and now - those old 2-lanes could be murder. But as I say most have been upgraded and west of Ole Missy they are running flat and straigh, mostly, between the river and the western mountains.

Hudsonly,
Alex Burr
Memphis, TN